Bolton Wanderers Football Club News

• Nickname:Wanderers
• Founded:1874
• Manager:Owen Coyle

• Ground:Reebok Stadium
• Capacity:28,000

Davies wins Megson support

21 Sep 2008 - 11:37:35

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Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson leaped to the defence of Kevin Davies after the striker was criticised for leaving Gael Clichy with a shin injury during Saturday's 3-1 defeat to Arsenal.

Davies opened the scoring for the Trotters before the visitors responded to leave the Reebok Stadium with all three points.

But Davies' afternoon was overshadowed by a lunging challenge on Clichy which forced the Gunners left-back to be substituted at half-time.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger slammed the combative striker at full-time, but Megson insists the challenge and his team's tactics were fair.

He said: "It was nothing. Kevin has actually won the ball. It is nonsense to suggest anything otherwise.

"It was a fair challenge, a proper football challenge and he was entitled to go for the ball.

"We did not try to intimidate Arsenal - that's a complete nonsense."

Meanwhile, Megson praised the performance of his side despite the defeat leaving them down in 17th place in the table.

"You are never happy that you have lost but the second half performance was excellent," he added.

"There is some light at the end of the tunnel now. If we do that against every other team they all do not have the quality of Arsenal."